Alexander Zhitinsky

{{Infobox person

| name = Alexander Zhitinsky

| image = Aleksander Zhitinskiy 2011 01 17.jpg

| alt = Alexander Zhitinsky, 2011

| caption = Alexander Zhitinsky, 2011

| birth_name = Alexander Nikolayevich Zhitinsky

| birth_date = January 19, 1941

| birth_place = Simferopol, Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, USSR

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2012|01|25|1941|01|19}}

| death_place = Finland

| nationality = Russian

| other_names =

| known_for =

| occupation = writer and journalist

}}

Alexander Nikolayevich Zhitinsky ({{langx|ru|Алекса́ндр Никола́евич Жити́нский}}; January 19, 1941{{spaced ndash}}January 25, 2012)[http://www.ria.ru/culture/20120125/548526181.html Петербургский писатель Александр Житинский скончался в Финляндии] was a Russian writer and journalist, founder of the {{ill|Gelikon Plus|ru|Геликон Плюс}} publishing house.{{Cite web |url=http://top.rbc.ru/society/25/01/2012/634767.shtml |title=Скончался известный писатель Александр Житински|accessdate=2012-01-25 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120128032744/http://top.rbc.ru/society/25/01/2012/634767.shtml |archivedate=2012-01-28 }} He used the pseudonyms Rock-diletant, МАССА, and Maccolit.

He was born into the family of a military pilot on January 19, 1941. After finishing his education at the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute, he became a well-known author, publishing 12 books during his career. He died on January 25, 2012.{{Cite news|title=Писатель Житинский умер, гостив у брата в Финляндии|author=Елена Лаптева|url=https://www.kp.ru/daily/25823/2800792/|website=Комсомольская Правда|date=2012-01-25|accessdate=2022-08-04|archivedate=2022-08-04|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220804052248/https://www.kp.ru/daily/25823/2800792/}}

The 1989 film The Stairway is based on his eponymous novella.